Patron saint of the youth

July 6 is the feast of Saint Maria Goretti, a young martyr whose life evoked purity and mercy. She is venerated for her courageous defense of her faith and chastity at a young age. A Catholic elementary school in Toronto, Canada, the country’s largest with more than a thousand pupils, is named in her honor.

Saint Maria was born in Corinaldo, Ancona, Italy, on October 16, 1890. Her farmer-father died when she was young and her mother had to support her six children. The saint, fondly called Marietta, took care of her siblings, and was devoted to praying the rosary. She grew in grace and maturity, and her cheerful obedience and piety were admired by her neighbors. On July 5, 1902, a farm hand, Alessandro Serenelli, tried to rape her. Rejecting his sexual advances, she declared that she would rather die than submit to him. Serenelli stabbed her 14 times. Bleeding, she was rushed to the hospital, and as she lay dying, she forgave her attacker. Doctors tried to save her, but she died later on July 6, 1902. Serenellie was imprisoned and remained unrepentant until one night, eight years into his prison term, the saint appeared to him, dressed in white, gathering lilies in a garden. She offered him flowers; each lily he took transformed into a white flame. From that moment, Alessandro repented and changed his life. He was released from prison three years early and begged forgiveness from Saint Maria’s mother, Assunta.

Serenelli moved to a Capuchin monastery and worked as gardener for the remainder of his life. He was one of the witnesses who testified during her cause of beatification, citing the vision in prison. Many miracles were attributed to Saint Maria after her death. She was beatified on April 27, 1947, and canonized on June 24, 1950, by Pope Pius XII, becoming the youngest saint.

Saint Maria is the patron saint of teenage girls and youth. Her incorrupt body is kept in the crypt beneath the altar of Basilica of Nostra Signora delle Grazie e Santa Maria Goretti in Nettuno, Rome.

Saint John Paul II said that Santa Maria Goretti “reminds the youth of the third millennium that true happiness demands courage and a spirit of sacrifice, refusing every compromise with evil, faithful to God and His commandments. It is essential to reaffirm clearly that purity of heart and body go together, because chastity is the custodian of authentic love.”

Editor’s note:Yahoo Philippines encourages responsible comments that add dimension to the discussion. No bashing or hate speech, please. You can express your opinion without slamming others or making derogatory remarks.

British television personality and singer Cilla Black, whose instantly recognizable Liverpool 'scouse' accent won over generations of music fans and television viewers, died in Spain aged 72, Spanish police said on Sunday. Police in Malaga said Priscilla White, her real name, had died in Estapona in the Costa del Sol region. Black, born in the northern English city of Liverpool, once worked as a cloakroom assistant in the city's Cavern Club - birthplace of the band The Beatles - before …

By Dave McNary LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation" dominated the U.S. box office this weekend with an impressive $56 million at 3,956 locations. The Paramount/Skydance tentpole generated $20.3 million at the Friday box office, setting an opening day mark for the sturdy franchise - and signaling that Cruise still carries plenty of star power. It's the third largest opening for Cruise, following the $64.9 million launch for 2004's "War of the Worlds" …

Beyonce’s #Flawless image is embroiled in controversy once again. On Wednesday, a web site called The Beyonce World leaked 224 allegedly raw photos of the musician. The images showed Bey in full makeup for the 2013 L’Oreal ad campaign — but with the kinds of “imperfections” we all have — beauty marks, bumps, creases. In the wake of Cindy Crawford’s unretouched photos, the images have been praised by critics of a beauty industry that sets impossibly high standards, standards that Queen Bey …